


Cunning Linguist

by kleineelch



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Drinking Games, M/M, Otabek is very talented, Yuri is very confused
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-18
Updated: 2017-01-18
Packaged: 2018-09-18 07:34:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9374654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kleineelch/pseuds/kleineelch
Summary: “Is this…”“JJ was running his mouth, saying he could drink anyone under the table at the party.” Phichit stood next to Yuri, sipping at his own drink. “Otabek said he would like to see him try...And here we are!”





	

**Author's Note:**

> So I was writing a totally unrelated fic with a throwaway line about Otabek and JJ in a drinking contest, and decided I'd rather write this fic. Many notes at the end. Beta'd by the amazing [xiaojuhua](http://xiaojuhua.tumblr.com/)!

Yuri was late. 

 

_ Damn Vitya and damn Yuuri _ , he thought as he lept from the cab, throwing a bit more money that was required (the driver had gotten him to the hotel in record time he reasoned). Worlds had just finished and his (annoying) ex-teammates (not dads) had insisted on taking him out for dinner. At eighteen, Yuri was not about to turn down a free meal, even though it meant missing out on celebrating with Otabek. What he hadn’t expected was how long it was going to take. Sure, it was delicious and wonderful, but he had parties to get to, and Yuri was especially excited at the prospect of celebrating his newly minted boyfriends victory.

 

It was with a not insignificant amount of frustration that Yuri learned the news that the party had finished before his arrival. He checked his phone hoping someone had at least given him the heads up where to go next. Nothing of note from Mila’s texts, and Otabek had just sent him a few hearts and a cat video a couple hours ago. He was about to give up and just go to bed, when phone buzzed.  _ Phichit? _

 

_ Hotel bar. NOW. YOU NEED TO SEE THIS!!!!!! _

 

Whipping his head around, Yuri tried in vain to find the bar from the lobby he was standing in. A check in with the receptionist led him to the bar that was apparently on top of the hotel. By the time the elevator dinged the arrival to the top floor, Yuri had run through all that could be happening. It was obvious that everyone had had a lot to drink and were continuing the party, but what did he need to see? A vision of Otabek pulling a Yuuri and pole dancing in the middle of the bar wasn’t unwelcome, per se, but Yuri felt his face flame red at the thought. 

 

“Yuri!” Phichit was waiting for him at the elevator, taking his arm in a vice grip and steering the younger man into the loud bar. Before he could ask what the  _ hell _ was going on, Yuri was presented with a confounding site. Sitting at a table tucked in the back corner sat Otabek and JJ, a mostly empty bottle of whisky between them. A group of skaters stood around them, laughing and clinking glasses amongst one another. Upon Yuri coming to the table, a drink was thrust into his hand as he dumbly looked on.

 

“Is this…”

 

“JJ was running his mouth, saying he could drink anyone under the table at the party.” Phichit stood next to Yuri, sipping at his own drink. “Otabek said he would like to see him try...And here we are!” As if on cue the two men picked the shot glasses in front of them and downed the contents in seconds. They slammed the glasses down, Otabek all but glaring at JJ, whose face had split into a wide grin. 

 

“Ahh  _ mon râleur _ when will you just admit defeat?” JJ said, words slurring together some. 

 

“ _ Osti d'épais de marde _ .” Otabek bit out and Yuri felt, well,  _ something _ run down his spine. JJ just giggled.

 

“I see you remember something from our days together.” JJ said with a wink as his hand wobbled while pouring their next shots, some spilling onto the table. Otabek reached over with hands as steady as ever and took it from JJ to finish pouring. “Or were those our nights together?”

 

Now  _ this _ feeling was blinding rage, Yuri recognized. Before he could throw his drink in JJ’s face, Otabek had picked up his glass, drained the shot, slammed it down and leaned over the table. “ _ Mon tabarnak j'vais te décalisser la yeule, calice _ .”

 

“What the fuck is going on?” Yuri turned to look at Phichit. The skater had his phone out and pointed at the table recording the entire spectacle, but when he caught Yuri’s eye he turned his  gaze towards the ceiling, attempting to look innocent.

 

“Otabek may have lost an earlier bet with JJ and can’t speak English. Or he has to take an extra shot.” Phichit paused. “Also apparently Otabek knows Quebecois.”

 

The two men were gripping their shot glasses again, looking as if they were willing the other to just give up. JJ could barely contain his giggling and Otabek looked as if he was ready to murder him. Both seemed to be far more gone than anyone else at this party. 

 

“Yuri!” Mila appeared at his side, throwing an arm around him and jostling him enough to spill some of his drink. Her declaration caused both men at the table to turn and look at him. While JJ kept his giddy look, Otabek’s face softened, a warm smile appearing on his face.

 

“ _ Koten’ka moy _ .” Otabek slurred, his voice sweet and low. If Yuri was red before, he was radiating crimson now. 

 

“Oh my GOD!” Mila screeched while hugging Yuri to her. “I’m so happy you two are together.”

 

“Please shut up.” Yuri mumbled, knowing she would never hear him. He liked to keep his affairs to himself, but Yuri could never deny that hearing Otabek refer to him so fondly made him feel lighter than air.

 

“Ooo, your pussycat has arrived to cheer you on.” JJ said as he tried to lean onto his hand, slipping instead off his palm and almost slamming his head into the counter.  _ Pity _ , Yuri thought. 

 

_ “Hör auf zu labern _ .” Otabek growled, turning back to JJ with a scowl. 

 

“Beka, how many languages do you know?” Yuri blurted out, confused that he didn’t know this about his boyfriend. 

 

Otabek considered a moment. “ _ Köp. _ ” He tilted his head back and downed his shot, to the cheers of the crowd. 

 

_ What the actual fuck _ .

 

\---

 

If earlier that day anyone had told Yuri that he would get the bronze medal at Worlds, while his boyfriend took gold, he would have laughed, but it was a realistic outcome. If that same person said that he would be dragging a stone drunk Otabek back to their hotel room after the later got in a drinking contest that only ended with JJ sliding onto the floor in defeat, Yuri probably would have passed out from laughing so hard.

 

Yet here he was.

 

“If you throw up on me Otabek, I’m leaving you in the hallway.” 

 

“I don’t get sick.” Otabek groaned. “I’m a winner.”

 

It seemed that Otabek was just putting on a facade, as the moment that JJ conceded, Otabek slumped forward with an uncharacteristic giggle. Knowing Otabek would be mortified at the skating community seeing him in such a state, Yuri loudly proclaimed they were going to bed and that everyone else should beat it.

 

“You sure are something.” Yuri said with fondness, shoring Otabek up on his shoulder as he had begun to slide towards the floor. “How did they talk you into this?”

 

“Party was boring without you. And you weren’t there to say no.” Otabek answered as if it was perfectly obvious. 

 

Yuri spluttered. “This was all because of me?” They had arrived at their room and Yuri patted himself down to try and find his key. Otabek reached into his own pocket and took his out, attempting three times to tap it against the lock before Yuri sighed and took it upon himself to open the door. Their room was in disarray from their quick stop over before going their separate ways, so Otabek was deposited on the bed with the least amount of clothes. 

 

“What am I going to do with you Beka.” Yuri said as he turned to go to the bathroom for water. 

 

Otabek grabbed his wrist with surprising force. “Mmm, kiss me?” 

 

“Idiot.” Yuri murmured with a smile before leaning down and placing a kiss on an eager Otabek. “Now let's get you some water.”

 

By the time Yuri returned from the bathroom, Otabek had flopped back and Yuri couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming fondness to see his boyfriend grabbing for Yuri’s good luck kitty plush and cuddling up with it. He passed the glass to Otabek who began to drink slowly. 

 

“So, uh, what was with the languages earlier?” Yuri asked. The question had been burning on the tip of his tongue since Phichit explained it. Sure, it was for a bet, but Yuri would have just stuck with Russian and the occasional Japanese curse words he had bribed other Yuuri into teaching him. Otabek was silent, and when Yuri looked over he found him with his eyes closed, breathing softly. “Beka?”

 

“Showing off.” The half asleep man mumbled. 

 

“Huh?”

 

“When I’m bored I learn languages.” Otabek opened an eye and hazily focused it on Yuri. “So when I lost the bet to JJ, I knew the best way to piss him off was to change languages every so often.”

 

“Did it work?” Yuri couldn’t believe that Otabek, calm, stoic Otabek was so petty.

 

A smile cracked over Otabek’s face. “I don’t think he’ll be taking me lightly any time soon.”

 

“So how many languages do you know?” Yuri asked as he flopped back, feeling warmth spread as Otabek grabbed for his hand and gave it a squeeze. 

 

“Fluently? Three. Conversationally?” Otabek paused, thinking. “Think I’m up to seven? I can also swear in Quebecois.”

 

“Wow.” Yuri sighed. They lay in silence for a while, both beginning to nod off, before Yuri spoke again. “Say cat. In all the languages you know.”

 

Otabek chuckled. “Looking for a new nickname  _ koten’ka moy _ ?”

 

“No.” Yuri said, feeling his face heat up. “I’m just testing you.”

 

Otabek turned to look at Yuri, a soft smile on his face. “Let’s get ready for bed and I’ll think about it.” He rolled over and stood up, wavering slightly.

 

“How are you not still plastered to the bed? You had to have gone through more than half of a bottle of that vile stuff.” Yuri groaned as he followed Otabek to the bathroom. 

 

Otabek shrugged as he grabbed for his toothbrush, blinking at himself in the mirror. “I told you I was a winner.”

 

Their conversation lulled as they cleaned up for bed and it was only when they were curled into one another in bed that Otabek spoke again. 

 

_ “ _ _ Viens, mon beau chat, sur mon coeur amoureux _ .” He whispered into Yuri’s ear. The words made no sense to Yuri, but the way they rolled off Otabek’s tongue was soothing. He nestled in closer. “ _ Retiens les griffes de ta patte, et laisse-moi plonger dans tes beaux yeux, mêlés de métal et d'agate _ .”

 

Tomorrow he would ask Otabek how to say cat, and maybe how curse out JJ, but tonight he was content to fall asleep with his boyfriend whispering poetry in his ear.  _ I must be the luckiest man _ , Yuri thought as he drifted off to sleep, Otabek’s voice caressing and soft.

**Author's Note:**

> Translations:  
> Osti d'épais de marde: basically "you're an idiot" (Quebecois)  
> mon râleur: my grump (French)  
> Mon tabarnak j'vais te décalisser la yeule, calice: basically "fucker, I'm going to punch your face in" (Quebecois)  
> Koten’ka moy: my kitten (Russian)  
> Hör auf zu labern: stop babbling (German)  
> Köp: a lot (Kazakh)  
> Viens, mon beau chat...: the start of a French poem by [Baudelaire](http://fleursdumal.org/poem/132)
> 
> Phew.
> 
> -I tried to think of a better title but ehhh ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> -Why yes, this is another entry into my "JJ and Otabek are totally bros" headcanon  
> -Look, Quebecois swearing is really wild and [awesome](http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-delightful-perversity-of-quebecs-catholic-swears)
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](http://musicaljinx.tumblr.com/) where I continue to have very little chill over otayuri. Cheers!


End file.
